TRV
Translation
King James Version
¶ God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
Complete Jewish Bible
God comes from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Pa'ran. His splendor covers the sky, and his praise fills the earth.
Berean Standard Bible
God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth.
American Standard Version
God came from Teman, And the Holy One from mount Paran. [Selah His glory covered the heavens, And the earth was full of his praise.
World English Bible Messianic
God came from Teman, the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and his praise filled the earth.
Geneva Bible (1599)
God commeth from Teman, and the holy one from mount Paran, Selah. His glory couereth the heauens, and the earth is full of his prayse,
Young's Literal Translation
God from Teman doth come, The Holy One from mount Paran. Pause! Covered the heavens hath His majesty, And His praise hath filled the earth.
In the KJVVerse 22,772 of 31,102
Study This Verse
Commentary on Habakkuk 3 verses 3–15
3 ¶ God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran. Selah. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise.
4 And his brightness was as the light; he had horns coming out of his hand: and there was the hiding of his power.
5 Before him went the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at his feet.
6 He stood, and measured the earth: he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and the everlasting mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting.
7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble.
8 Was the LORD displeased against the rivers? was thine anger against the rivers? was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst ride upon thine horses and thy chariots of salvation?
9 Thy bow was made quite naked, according to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.
10 The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by: the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up his hands on high.
11 The sun and moon stood still in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear.
12 Thou didst march through the land in indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in anger.
13 Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for salvation with thine anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Selah.
14 Thou didst strike through with his staves the head of his villages: they came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
15 Thou didst walk through the sea with thine horses, through the heap of great waters.
I. II. Main points1. 2. Sub-points
It has been the usual practice of God's people, when they have been in distress and ready to fall into despair, to help themselves by recollecting their experiences, and reviving them, considering the days of old, and the years of ancient times (Psa 77:5), and pleading with God in prayer, as he is pleased sometimes to plead them with himself. Isa 63:11, Then he remembered the days of old. This is that which the prophet does here, and he looks as far back as the first forming of them into a people, when they were brought by miracles out of Egypt, a house of bondage, through the wilderness, a land of drought, into Canaan, then possessed by mighty nations. He that thus brought them at first into Canaan, through so much difficulty, can now bring them thither again out of Babylon, how great soever the difficulties are that lie in the way. Those works of wonder, wrought of old, are here most magnificently described, for the greater encouragement to the faith of God's people in their present straits.
I. God appeared in his glory, so as he never did before or since (Hab 3:3, Hab 3:4): He came from Teman, even the Holy One from Mount Paran. This refers to the visible display of the glory of God when he gave the law upon Mount Sinai, as appears by Deu 33:2 whence these expressions are borrowed. Then the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai in a cloud (Exo 19:20) and his glory was as the devouring fire, not only to enforce the law he then gave them, but to avow the deliverance he had wrought for them and to magnify it; for the first word he said there was, "I am the Lord thy God, that brought thee out of the land of Egypt. I that appear in this glory am the author of that work." Then his glory covered the heavens, which shone with the reflection of that glorious appearance of his; the earth also was full of his praise, or of his splendour, as some read it. People at a distance saw the cloud and fire on the top of Mount Sinai, and praised the God of Israel. Or the earth was full of those works of God which were to be praised. His brightness was as the light, as the light of the sun when he goes forth in his strength; he had horns, or bright beams (so it should be rendered), coming out of his side or hand. Rays of glory were darted forth around him; and with some rays borrowed thence it was that Moses's face shone when he came down from that mount of glory. Some by the horns, the two horns (for the word is dual), coming out of his hand, understand the two tables of the law, which perhaps, when God delivered them to Moses, though they were tables of stone, had a glory round them; those books were gilt with beams, and so it agrees with Deu 33:2, From his right hand went a fiery law for them. It is added, And there was the hiding of his power; there was his hidden power, in the rays that came out of his hand. The operations of his power, compared with what he could have done, were rather the hiding of it than the discovery of it; the secrets of his power, as well as of his wisdom, are double to that which is, Job 11:6.
II. God sent plagues on Egypt, for the humbling of proud Pharaoh, and the obliging of him to let the people go (Hab 3:5): Before him went the pestilence, which slew all the first-born of Egypt in one night; and burning coals went forth at his feet, when, in the plague of hail, there was fire mingled with hail - burning diseases (so the margin reads it), some think those that wasted Egypt, others those with which the number of the Canaanites was diminished before Israel was brought in upon them. These were at his feet, that is, at his coming, for they are at his command; he says to them, Go, and they go, Come, and they come, Do this, and they do it.
III. He divided the land of Canaan to his people Israel, and expelled the heathen from before them (Hab 3:6): He stood, and measured the earth, measured that land, to assign it for an inheritance to Israel his people, Deu 32:8, Deu 32:9. He beheld, and drove asunder the nations that were in possession of it; though they combined together against Israel, God dispersed and discomfited them before Israel. Or he exerted such a mighty power as was enough to shake in pieces all the nations of the earth. Then the everlasting mountains were scattered, and the perpetual hills did bow; the mighty princes and potentates of Canaan, that seemed as high, as strong, and as firmly fixed, as the mountains and hills, were broken to pieces; they and their kingdoms were totally subdued. Or the power of God was so exerted as to shake the mountains and hills; nay, and Sinai did tremble, and the adjacent hills; see Psa 68:7, Psa 68:8. To this he adds, His ways are everlasting, that is, all the motions of his providence are according to his eternal counsels; and he is the same for ever, that which he was yesterday and today. His covenant is unchangeable, and his mercy endures for ever. When he drove asunder the nations of Canaan one might have seen the tents of Cushan in affliction, the curtains of the land of Midian trembling, and all the inhabitants of the neighbouring countries taking the alarm; and though they were not in the commission given to Israel to destroy, nor their land within the warrant given to Israel to possess, yet they thought their own house in danger when their neighbour's house was on fire, and therefore they were in a great fright, Hab 3:7. Balak the king of Moab was so, Num 22:3, Num 22:4. Some make the tents of Cushan to be in affliction when, in the days of judge Othniel, God delivered Cushan-rishathaim into his hand (Jdg 3:8), and the curtains of the land of Midian to tremble when, in the days of judge Gideon, a barley cake, in a dream, overthrew the tent of Midian, Jdg 7:13.
IV. He divided the Red Sea and Jordan, when they stood in the way of Israel's progress, and yet fetched a river out of a rock when Israel wanted it, Hab 3:8. One would have thought that God was displeased with the rivers, and that his wrath was against the sea, for he made them give way and flee before him when he rode upon his horses and chariots of salvation, as a general at the head of his forces, mighty to save. Note, God's chariots are not so much chariots of state to himself as chariots of salvation to his people; it is his glory to be Israel's Saviour. This seems to be referred to again (Hab 3:15): "Thou didst walk through the sea, through the Red Sea, with thy horses, in the pillar of cloud and fire (that was his chariot drawn by angels); thus thou didst walk secure, and so as to accommodate thyself to the slow pace that Israel could go, as Jacob tenderly drove, in consideration of his children and cattle: Thou didst walk through the heap, or mud, of great waters; and Israel likewise was led through the deep as a horse through the wilderness," Isa 63:13, Isa 63:14. When they came to enter Canaan the overflowing of the water passed by, that is, Jordan, which at that time overflowed all his banks, was divided, Jos 3:15. Note, When the difficulties in the way of perfecting the salvation of Israel seem most insuperable, when they rise to the height, and overflow, yet then God can put them by, break through them, and get over them. Then the deep uttered his voice, when, the Red Sea and Jordan being divided, the waters roared and made a noise, as if they were sensible of the restraint they were under from proceeding in their natural course, and complained of it. They lifted up their hands, or sides, on high (for the waters stood up on a heap, Jos 3:16), as if they would have made opposition to the orders given them. They lifted up their voice, lifted up their waves; but in vain. The Lord on high was mightier than they, Psa 93:3, Psa 93:4. With the dividing of the sea and Jordan, notice is again taken of the trembling of the mountains, as if the stop given to the waters gave a shock to the adjacent hills; they are put together, Psa 114:3, Psa 114:4. When the sea saw it and fled, and Jordan was driven back, the mountains skipped like rams and the little hills like lambs. The whole creation yielded; earth and waters trembled at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the mighty God of Jacob. But (as Mr. Cowley paraphrases it)
Fly where thou wilt, thou sea; and, Jordan's current, cease.
Jordan, there is no need of thee;
For at God's word, whene'er he please,
The rocks shall weep new waters forth instead of these.
So here, Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers; channels were made in the wilderness, such as seemed to cleave the earth, for the waters to run in, which issued out of the rock, to supply the camp of Israel, and which followed them in all their removes. Note, The God of nature can alter and control the powers of nature, which way he pleases, can turn waters into crystal rocks and rocks into crystal streams.
V. He arrested the motion of the sun and moon, to befriend and complete Israel's victories (Hab 3:11): The sun and moon stood still at the prayer of Joshua, that the Canaanites might not have the benefit of the night to favour their escape; they stood still in their habitation in the heaven (Psa 19:4), but with an eye to Gibeon and the valley of Ajalon, where God's work was in the doing, and of which they, though at so vast a distance, attended the motions. At the light, at the direction, of thy arrows, they went, and at the shining of thy glittering spear; they followed Israel's arms, to favour them; according to the intimation of the arrows God shot (as Jonathan's arrows, Sa1 20:20), and which way soever his spear pointed (the glittering light of which they acknowledged to outshine theirs) that way they directed their influences, benign to Israel and malignant against their enemies, as when the stars in their courses fought against Sisera. Note, The heavenly bodies, as well as earth and seas, are at God's command, and, when he pleases, at Israel's service too.
VI. He carried on and completed Israel's victories over the nations of Canaan and their kings; he slew great kings and famous, Psa 136:17, Psa 136:18. This is largely insisted upon here, as a proper plea with God to enforce the present petition, that he would restore them again to that land which they were, at the expense of so many lives, so many miracles, first put in possession of.
1.Many expressions are here used to set forth the conquest of Canaan. (1.) God's bow was made quite naked, taken out of the case, to be employed for Israel; we should say, his sword was quite unsheathed, not drawn out a little way, to frighten the enemy, and then put up again, but quite drawn out, not to be returned till they are all cut off. (2.) He marched through the land from end to end, in indignation, as scorning to let that wicked generation of Canaanites any longer possess so good a land. He marched cum fastidio - with distaste (so some), despising their confederacies. (3.) He threshed the heathen in anger, trod them down, nay, he trod them out, as corn in the floor, to give them, and what they had, to be meat to his people Israel, Mic 4:13. (4.) He wounded the heads out of the house of the wicked; he destroyed the families of the Canaanites, and wounded their princes, the heads of their families; nay, he cut off the heads, and so discovered the foundations of them, even to the neck. Are they a building? They are razed even to the foundation. Are they a body? They are plunged into deep mire even to the neck, so that they cannot get out, or help themselves. He broke the heads of leviathan in pieces, Psa 74:14. Some apply this to Christ's victories over Satan and the powers of darkness, in which he wounded the heads over many countries, Psa 110:6. (5.) He struck through with his staves the head of the villages (Hab 3:14); with Israel's staves God struck through the head of the villages of the enemies, whether Egypt or Canaan. Staves shall do the same execution as swords when God pleases to make use of them. The enemy came out with the utmost force and fury, as a whirlwind to scatter me (says Israel); for many a time have they thus afflicted me, thus attacked me, from my youth, Psa 129:1. Pharaoh, when he pursued Israel to the Red Sea, came out as a whirlwind; so did the kings of Canaan in their confederacies against Israel. Their rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly; they were as confident of success in their enterprise as ever any great man was of devouring a poor man, that was no way a match for him; and his design against him was carried on with secrecy. But God disappointed them, and their pride did but make their fall the more shameful and God's care of his poor the more illustrious. (6.) He walked to the sea with his horses (so some read it, Hab 3:15), that is, he carried Israel's victories to the Great Sea, which was opposite to that side of Canaan at which they entered, so that they went quite through it, and made themselves masters of it all, or rather God made them so, for they got it not by their own sword, Psa 44:3. Now,
2.There were three things that God had a eye to, in giving Israel so many bloody victories over the Canaanites: - (1.) He would hereby make good his promise to the fathers; it was according to the oaths of the tribes, even his word, Hab 3:9. He had sworn to give this land to the tribes of Israel; it was his oath to Isaac confirmed to Jacob, and repeated many a time to the tribes of Israel, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan. This word God will accomplish, though Israel be ever so unworthy (Deu 9:5) and their enemies ever so many and mighty. Note, What God does for his tribes is according to the oaths of the tribes, according to what he has said and sworn to them; for he is faithful that has promised. (2.) He would hereby show his kindness to his people, because of their relation to him, and his interest in them: Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, Hab 3:13. All the powers of nature are shaken, and the course of nature changed, and every thing seems to be thrown into disorder, and all is for the salvation of God's people. There are a people in the world who are God's people, and their salvation is that which he has in his eye in all the operations of his providence. Heaven and earth shall sooner come together than any of the links in the golden chain of their salvation shall be broken; and even that which seems most unlikely shall by an overruling hand be made to work for their salvation, Phi 1:19. (3.) He would hereby give a type and figure of the redemption of the world by Jesus Christ. It is for salvation with thy anointed, with Joshua, who led the armies of Israel and was a figure of him whose name he bore, even Jesus our Joshua. What God did for his Israel of old was done with an eye to his anointed, for the sake of the Mediator, who was both the founder and foundation of the covenant made with them. It was salvation with him, for in all the salvations wrought for them, God looked upon the face of the anointed, and did them by him.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 3–15. Public domain.
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IrenaeusAD 202
AGAINST HERESIES 4:33.11
And there are also some of them who say, “the Lord has spoken in Zion, and uttered his voice from Jerusalem,” and “in Judah is God known”5—these indicated his advent, which took place in Judea. Those, again, who declare that “God comes from the south, and from a mountain thick with foliage,” announced his advent at Bethlehem, as I have pointed out in the preceding book. From that place, also, he who rules and who feeds the people of his Father, has come. Those, again, who declare that at his coming “the lame man shall leap as a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall speak plainly, and the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall hear,” and that “the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, shall be strengthened,” and that “the dead which are in the grave shall arise,” and that he himself “shall take our weaknesses, and bear our sorrows”9—proclaimed those works of healing which were accomplished by him.
NovatianAD 258
ON THE TRINITY 12:7
Habakkuk the prophet says, “God shall come from the south, and the holy one from the dark and dense mountain.” Whom would they have come from the south? If they say that God the Father almighty came, then God the Father came from a place; consequently, he is also enclosed by space and contained within the limits of some abode. Thus the sacrilegious heresy of Sabellius, as we said, takes concrete form because of these people who believe that Christ is not the Son but the Father. It is strange how these heretics, while insisting that Christ is a mere man, make an about-face and acknowledge that Christ is the Father, God almighty.
JeromeAD 420
Commentary on Habakkuk
(Verse 3) God will come from the South, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah. LXX: God will come from Teman, and the Holy One from the dark and thickly wooded mountain. Diapsalma. Aquila and Symmachus, and the fifth edition, set forth the Hebrew itself in Teman (): only Theodotion interpreted what Teman meant, saying, 'God will come from the South, and the holy one from Mount Paran, to the end.' From this we understand that the reading of the Seventy is from the dark and thickly wooded mountain. But even this, which the Seventy translated as 'psalm', and we have retained, forever; Symmachus interpreted as 'eternity'; Theodotion, 'to the end'; the fifth edition has the Hebrew 'Sela'. Therefore, God will come from the South, that is, from the South, from the clear light, and from those who are called the sons of days. Hence, in the Song of Songs, the bridegroom drives away the north wind and calls the south wind, saying: Arise, o North wind, and come, o South wind, blow through my garden, and let my spices flow (Song of Songs IV, 16). God is always in the midday: Where, he says, do you graze? Where do you lie down? in the midday (Ibid., I, 6). And to Abraham when he was under the oak, God did not come except in the midday (Gen. XVIII and XLIII). And Joseph, who foreshadowed the Savior, makes a meal for his brothers at midday. Therefore, the recognition of God the Father comes to those who are worthy in full light. And the recognition of the Holy One, that is, the Son of God, comes from the shady and thick mountain. The shady and dense mountain, or rather the Father himself, is understood to be full of virtues and all wisdom, protecting all things with his majesty, and spreading his wings, and cherishing his children; or certainly a paradise and heaven full of angels, full of virtues, full of abundant trees. And I wish that it may also happen to me, that God may come to my voice and my exposition in clear light, and his Son, of whom it is written: 'Be holy, for I am holy' (Lev. 20:26), from the lofty and dense eloquence, and the intertwining testimonies of the Scriptures from here and there, and as the Father and the Son come together, may their listener be made their dwelling, and may the Scripture be fulfilled, saying: 'I and my Father will come to him, and we will make our dwelling with him' (John 14:23). But because it is written in Hebrew as the shady and dense mountain, it is interpreted as the mountain Pharan, and Pharan means the mouth of the seer: fittingly, according to our interpretation, the knowledge of the Son comes in the eloquent speech of a learned man, and not just any speech, but one that is full of light, full of eyes, so that it may be clearly and purely conveyed to the ears of the listeners. And by what he says about the mountain, understand sublime teachings. I have heard this Hebrew passage explain that Bethlehem is located to the South, where the Lord and Savior was born, and it is he about whom it is now said: The Lord will come from the South, that is, he will be born in Bethlehem and rise from there. And because he who was born in Bethlehem once gave the Law on Mount Sinai, he is the Holy One who came from Mount Paran: for Paran is adjacent to the mountain of Sinai. And what is inferred, diapsalma, that is, always, has meaning: he who was born in Bethlehem, and who in Sinai, that is, in Mount Paran, gave the Law, is always the author and giver of all past, present, and future benefits. In the Psalter, there is a more detailed discussion about the diapsalmate, which is called Sela in Hebrew. Also, according to the Septuagint, the diapsalmate is only found in the Psalter and in the present place. From this, we rightly understand that the song of prayer was marked by the Septuagint.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
LETTER 105
Where we recognize Christ in what is written: “God will come from the south and the holy one from the shady mountain; his strength will cover the heavens,” there we recognize the church in what follows: “And the earth is full of his praise.” Jerusalem was settled from Africa, as we read in the book of Joshua, son of Nun; from there the name of Christ was spread abroad; there is the shady mountain, the Mount of Olives, from which he ascended into heaven, so that his strength might cover the heavens and the church might be filled through all the earth with his praise.
Augustine of HippoAD 430
SERMON 46:38-40
But tell us the other thing you were saying you were going to tell us. “The prophet,” says he, “says God ‘will come from Afric,’ and now of course where the Afric is, there is Africa.” Well, there’s a fine testimony for you! God will come from the Afric, and from Africa God will come. The heretics are announcing another Christ who is born in Africa and goes through the world. I’m asking what it means, God will come from Africa. If you said, “God has only remained in Africa,” you would certainly be saying something shameful enough. But now you also say, “He will come from Africa.” We know where Christ was born, where he suffered, where he ascended into heaven, where he sent his disciples from, where he filled them with the Holy Spirit, where he instructed them to evangelize the whole world, and they complied, and the world is filled with the gospel. And you say, “God will come from Africa!” …So how does he come from “the shady mountain”? Read the Gospel once more: it was from the Mount of Olives that Christ ascended into heaven. Continue. And what could be clearer? You hear “from the Afric”; you have heard “from the shady mountain.” We recite the law, we recite the Gospel; you have heard “beginning from Jerusalem”; now hear “throughout all the nations.” In the same prophet continue with those words that you ignored, those words you left out.… “God will come from the Afric, and the Holy One from the shady mountain,” that is, from the Mount of Olives, where he ascended into heaven, where he sent his disciples from, where he also said as he was about to ascend, “It is not for you to know the times which the Father has placed in his own power; but you will receive might from on high, and you will be witness to me … in Jerusalem, and in Judea and in Samaria, and as far as the whole earth.”
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Song of Habakkuk
His majesty covered the heavens, and the earth is full of his praise. The dispensation of the Lord's incarnation having been described, he immediately added the mystery of the ascension by which the same humanity was to be glorified, according to the saying of the Psalmist: His going forth is from the end of heaven, and his circuit reaches to the end thereof (Ps. 18:7). For his majesty covered the heavens, because he who was made a little lower than the angels through the incarnation, was crowned with glory and honor through the resurrection, and established above the works of the Father's hands through the ascension, and all things are placed under his feet (Ps. 8:6), and as the apostles preached, the earth was filled with his praise: this very thing being briefly but very clearly included at both the beginning and end of the same psalm, when it is said: O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is your name in all the earth! for your magnificence is elevated above the heavens (Ps. 8:2). But even before the passion and resurrection, when the Word made flesh dwelt among us, his majesty covered the heavens, because the assumed humanity, though still mortal, surpassed the heavenly powers. And the earth is full of his praise, with the same heavenly virtues truly knowing that he was the creator of the earth, as of all creation by divinity, who then dwelled on earth through humanity: from which, at his birth, they sang: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men of good will (Lk. 2:14).
BedeAD 735
Commentary on the Song of Habakkuk
God will come from Lebanon and the Holy One from the dense and dark mountain. Lebanon is the highest mountain of Phoenicia, notable for its lofty, incorruptible, and aromatic trees, from which the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem was also made, as Scripture testifies; hence in the Scriptures, sometimes even the temple itself is designated by the name of Lebanon. Hence, for instance, Zechariah speaks about the coming of the Chaldean army against it: "Open, O Lebanon, your gates, and let fire consume your cedars" (Zech. XI, 1). Therefore, God comes from Lebanon, because the Lord appearing in the flesh sowed the first seeds of the Gospel in that very temple, and from there filled the entire world with the seed of His faith and truth. Hence, Isaiah says, "For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isaiah II, 3). He sprinkled there the first seeds of faith not only through the apostles, who, filled with the Holy Spirit after His passion and resurrection, laid the first foundations of the Church there by preaching, whose sound then went out into all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world (Psalm XVIII, 5); but also through Himself, first in that very temple giving testimony of the faith to be had in Him, sitting in the midst of the doctors when He was of tender age, asking them questions as a mere boy, but answering those teaching as God of eternal majesty; where, being sought and found by His parents, He Himself indicated that He was God and God's Son by saying: "Did you not know that I must be about my Father's business?" (Luke II, 49). However, it should be noted that in the Hebrew truth this verse is as follows: "God will come from Teman," that is, from the South, which has an easy sense according to the letter, because Bethlehem, where the Lord was born, is situated to the south of Jerusalem. And when He was brought to Jerusalem by His parents on the fortieth day of His birth, that an offering might be made for Him according to the law, God indeed came from the South. And he says, "the Holy One from the dense and dark mountain." The Holy One, the same Mediator of God and men, who is plainly called God above, of whom Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mother said: "Therefore, the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God" (Luke I, 35). The mountain from which the same Holy One is sung to come can be understood to mean the kingdom of the Jews, from which He took His fleshly origin. From which also Daniel saw the stone cut out without hands, that is, Christ begotten without the work of a man, who crushing the kingdoms of the world, would fill the whole world with the glory of His name (Dan. II, 45). This mountain is rightly called dense and dark; for it has many fruitful trees, that is, many holy men laden with the fruits of virtue, who both instruct our hunger with the sweetest taste of their doctrine, and with the shade of their intercession protect our frailty from being dried up by the heat of tribulations from the inner greenness of love. This fits figuratively with what the apostle Peter, certainly a distinguished tree of this mountain, not only refreshes the hungry and thirsty for righteousness with the fruit of doctrine but also saves the sick with the shadow of his body (Acts V, 15). These holy and sublime men can also be designated by the term "South," from whom God is said to come, on account of the fervent love with which they are usually enflamed in the Lord and the doctrine with which they enlighten men, from which South God came because He deigned to be incarnate from such men. From which South God comes daily, when, reading or hearing their words or examples, the love or knowledge of truth is more perfectly generated in our hearts.
Richard ChallonerAD 1781
God will come from the south: God himself will come to give us his law, and to conduct us into the true land of promise: as heretofore he came from the South (in the Hebrew Theman) and from mount Pharan to give his law to his people in the desert. See Deut. 33. 2.
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
Habakkuk 3:3 presents a breathtaking vision of God's majestic appearance, a divine manifestation (theophany) that draws upon historical precedents of His powerful intervention for His people. The verse vividly portrays the Holy One's glorious arrival from the ancient wilderness regions of Teman and Mount Paran, depicting His overwhelming splendor covering the heavens and the entire earth resounding with His praise. This profound imagery serves to assure the prophet, and by extension, all believers, of God's unwavering power, faithfulness, and ultimate triumph, even amidst impending judgment and uncertainty.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Habakkuk 3 stands as a magnificent prayer or psalm, serving as the prophet's profound response to the Lord's earlier pronouncements of judgment against Judah via the Babylonians, alongside promises of future restoration and divine justice. Having wrestled with God's methods and timing in the preceding chapters (Habakkuk 1 and Habakkuk 2), Habakkuk concludes his book not with a lament, but with a triumphant affirmation of faith. Chapter 3 is a poetic and liturgical piece, likely intended for public worship, where Habakkuk expresses both his awe and terror at God's impending actions, yet ultimately resolves to rejoice in the Lord despite dire circumstances. Verse 3 initiates a grand, epic vision of God's coming, setting the stage for a dramatic recounting of His past mighty deeds that serve as a powerful foundation for hope in His future intervention and deliverance. The imagery of God's appearance here is a direct answer to the prophet's earlier plea for God to "revive Your work in the midst of the years" (Habakkuk 3:2).
Historical & Cultural Context: The geographical references in Habakkuk 3:3—"Teman" and "Mount Paran"—are deeply significant, evoking specific historical and cultural memories for ancient Israel. Teman was a prominent region in Edom, located to the southeast of Judah, known for its wisdom and as a place associated with the descendants of Esau. Mount Paran, on the other hand, is generally identified with a desert wilderness area in the Sinai Peninsula, south of Canaan. Both locations are strongly linked to the Exodus narrative and the formative period of Israel's history. God's dramatic appearance to Israel during their wilderness wanderings, particularly at Mount Sinai for the giving of the Law, is a foundational event. Passages like Deuteronomy 33:2 and Judges 5:4-5 describe God's coming from these southern regions, often accompanied by earthquake and fire, signifying His covenant presence and powerful intervention. By recalling these specific locations, Habakkuk taps into Israel's collective memory of God's awe-inspiring power and His unwavering faithfulness to His covenant people, reminding them that the same God who delivered them from Egypt will act again.
Key Themes: Habakkuk 3:3 is rich with theological and narrative themes. The most prominent is Divine Majesty and Power, as the verse paints an overwhelming picture of God's glory so vast it "covered the heavens" and His praise filling "the earth," underscoring His supreme authority and incomparable power over all creation. This leads directly to the theme of Theophany and Holy Presence, where the "Holy One" coming from specific, historically significant locations signifies a powerful, personal, and tangible manifestation of God. It emphasizes both His transcendence—being beyond creation—and His immanence—actively involved within it, particularly in the affairs of His people. Another crucial theme is the Remembrance of God's Past Acts. By recalling God's historical appearances (like at Sinai), Habakkuk grounds his hope in God's unchanging nature and His proven faithfulness to His covenant people. This act of remembering past deliverances, as seen in Psalm 77:11, is crucial for faith in times of crisis and uncertainty. Finally, the phrase "the earth was full of his praise" introduces the theme of Universal Praise, suggesting that God's glory is so self-evident and magnificent that all creation naturally responds in adoration and acknowledgment of His greatness, echoing the declarations of God's glory through nature found in Psalm 19:1-4.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Habakkuk 3:3 is rich with literary artistry. The primary device is Theophany, the visible manifestation of God to humankind, which is the central event described. This theophany is depicted with Anthropomorphic elements, as God is portrayed as "coming" from a specific location, giving a human-like action to His divine presence. Parallelism is evident in the first line, "God came from Teman, and the Holy One from mount Paran," where two synonymous phrases are used to describe the same divine subject and action, intensifying the image of God's arrival. The descriptions of God's glory "covering the heavens" and the earth being "full of his praise" employ Hyperbole, using exaggeration for emphasis to convey the immense scale and overwhelming nature of God's majesty and the universal response it elicits. Furthermore, the geographical references act as Symbolism, evoking powerful historical memories of God's covenant faithfulness and mighty acts during the Exodus, thereby grounding the prophet's present hope in God's unchanging character.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Habakkuk 3:3 powerfully articulates the biblical truth of God's active, sovereign presence in His creation and among His people. It reveals a God who is not distant or detached but one who intervenes dynamically in history, manifesting His glory and power. This theophany underscores God's holiness, His unparalleled majesty, and His ultimate control over all circumstances, even those that seem chaotic or unjust to human perception. The verse serves as a profound reminder that God's glory is not confined to sacred spaces but is so expansive that it fills the cosmos, eliciting universal adoration. This vision of God's overwhelming presence and the earth's response of praise provides a deep wellspring of hope, assuring believers that the same God who acted mightily in the past will continue to act for the deliverance and vindication of His people, ultimately bringing all creation into full praise of His name.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Habakkuk 3:3 offers a profound anchor for faith in times of personal and global upheaval. Just as Habakkuk faced the terrifying prospect of Babylonian invasion, believers today often confront daunting challenges, uncertainties, and seemingly insurmountable injustices. This verse calls us to lift our gaze from our immediate circumstances to the magnificent, all-encompassing glory of God. By remembering His past acts of power and faithfulness, particularly His dramatic interventions on behalf of His people, we are reminded that the God who "came from Teman" and "Mount Paran" is the same unchanging God who is present with us now. His glory still covers the heavens, and His praise is still due from all the earth. This should inspire a deep sense of awe, trust, and worship, shifting our perspective from fear to profound confidence in His sovereignty. It encourages us to cultivate a life of praise, recognizing that even amidst suffering, God's ultimate triumph and the revelation of His glory are certain, leading to a renewed commitment to live in light of His majestic presence.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the significance of "Teman" and "Mount Paran" in Habakkuk 3:3?
Answer: "Teman" and "Mount Paran" are geographical locations in the southern wilderness regions, deeply significant in Israel's history. Teman was a region in Edom, and Mount Paran was in the Sinai Peninsula. Their mention in Habakkuk 3:3 evokes the historical context of God's dramatic appearances to Israel during the Exodus and the giving of the Law at Mount Sinai. These were places where God powerfully manifested His presence, leading His people and establishing His covenant. By referencing these locations, Habakkuk recalls God's past mighty acts of deliverance and judgment, reminding his audience that the same powerful and faithful God is about to intervene again, just as He did in the wilderness. This imagery grounds the prophet's hope in God's unchanging character and His proven faithfulness to His covenant people, as seen in passages like Deuteronomy 33:2.
What does "Selah" mean, and why is it included in this verse?
Answer: "Selah" (H5542, çelâh) is a term found primarily in the Psalms and three times in Habakkuk 3. While its exact meaning is debated among scholars, it is widely understood to be a musical or liturgical notation, likely indicating a pause for reflection, contemplation, or an instrumental interlude. In Habakkuk 3:3, its inclusion after the description of God's majestic coming from Teman and Mount Paran serves as a cue for the reader or worshiper to pause and deeply meditate on the profound truth and awe-inspiring imagery that has just been presented. It encourages a moment of quiet reverence and absorption of the divine revelation before continuing with the rest of the prayer.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Habakkuk 3:3, with its grand depiction of God's glorious coming, finds its ultimate and most profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The "God" and "Holy One" who came from Teman and Mount Paran in a display of overwhelming glory foreshadows the incarnation of the Son of God. Jesus, the very "radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being" (Hebrews 1:3), "came" into the world not from a specific geographical location in the wilderness, but from the very presence of the Father, taking on human flesh. His life, death, and resurrection were the supreme manifestation of God's glory—a glory "full of grace and truth" (John 1:14). Just as God's glory "covered the heavens" and the "earth was full of His praise" in Habakkuk's vision, so too does the redemptive work of Christ reveal God's glory to the fullest extent, eliciting praise from all who believe and ultimately from all creation. The future return of Christ, described in passages like Revelation 1:7, will be the final, cosmic display of God's glory, where every eye will see Him, and His praise will indeed fill the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21:1-4). Thus, Habakkuk's vision of God's majestic advent points directly to the past, present, and future glory revealed in Jesus, the Christ.